228th Review MEXICANS AT WAR. MEXICAN MILITARY AVIATION IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1941-1945- Santiago A. Flores
Otherwise than the title suggests, does this book not only set out the warfare in WO II but also the revolutions that swept across Mexico during 1910 till 1941.
Even the by us known revolutionary ‘figureheads’ like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, experience in this pre-war time their ‘finest hour’. And of course also the USA interfered in this battle with an army under General Pershing. But they never laid hands on Pancho Villa.
However, after the USA had entered into WO II and the Kriegsmarine sent their U-boats to the American coasts as reaction to it and also torpedoed tankers that sailed under the Mexican flag, soon all noses pointed into the same direction: supporting the American side in this war.
The Mexicans were not prepared to take part in a ‘high tech’-war, but with the support of the North neighbours it changed. Complete air force squadrons and individual war volunteers from Mexico were incorporated into the American forces. But also a lot of Mexicans with European blood enlisted from the start of the war by the RAF and the Free French Forcers of General De Gaulle.
Their often bizarre stories are described in detail in this book. One of them was Pilot Officer Sebastian Bernardo de Mier RAFVR, who became a personal friend of our royal Prince Bernard. On May 18th 1942 De Mier was taken down above Leeuwarden with a Douglas Boston. He is buried on the cemetery of Duntamadeel.
Striking is also the story of the employ of Mexican squadrons to the Philippines, were they encountered the Japanese. When I read the report of this deploy, the feeling crept up to me that the Mexicans were mostly used as cannon fodder by the Americans.
This book contains a lot of names and accompanying personal reports, extensive photo material and colour pictures of the by the Mexicans used planes. Model builders will love it!
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